Defense chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. hold talks on OPCON transfer, alliance

What happened: South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met in Cebu, Philippines, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus, for their first one-on-one talks since Kang took office in September. Key numbers: Meeting held Wednesday, Oct. 28 (Seoul dateline). Why it matters: Seoul wants to announce a target year for OPCON transfer at the upcoming Security Consultative Meeting, while Washington says agreed conditions must be fully met. The divide has fueled speculation the next SCM could slip to early next year.

South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met in Cebu, Philippines, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus, for their first one-on-one talks since Kang took office in September.

Seoul wants to announce a target year for OPCON transfer at the upcoming Security Consultative Meeting, while Washington says agreed conditions must be fully met. The divide has fueled speculation the next SCM could slip to early next year.